Spend More Money on the People, Not the Officials of Government

Botswana stands today as one of Africa’s greatest development success stories because its governments have consistently placed the welfare of the people above the privileges of public officials. Through prudent management of public resources and sustained investment in education, healthcare, infrastructure, agriculture, and economic development, Botswana has risen from one of the poorest countries in the world at independence in 1966 to an upper-middle-income country.

by Tiawan Saye Gongloe

The lesson for Liberia is clear. Governments become successful when they invest more in their people than in themselves. Every dollar spent on quality education produces a more skilled workforce. Every investment in healthcare creates a healthier and more productive population. Good roads stimulate trade, reduce transportation costs, attract investment, and connect farmers to markets. Investment in agriculture strengthens food security, creates jobs, and reduces dependence on imported food.

One of Botswana’s greatest achievements has been its ability to negotiate arrangements that enabled the country to retain a substantial share of the wealth generated from its diamond resources. Rather than allowing its natural wealth to benefit others disproportionately, Botswana used a significant portion of its diamond revenues to build schools, hospitals, roads, water systems, and other public services that improved the lives of its people.

Liberia, despite being richly endowed with iron ore, gold, diamonds, rubber, oil palm, timber, and other natural resources, has not secured comparable national benefits from the exploitation of these resources. For generations, vast quantities of Liberia’s mineral and agricultural wealth have been exported, yet too many Liberians continue to live in poverty, with inadequate schools, weak healthcare services, poor roads, food insecurity, and limited employment opportunities. The challenge is not that Liberia lacks natural wealth; the challenge is ensuring that the nation negotiates agreements and adopts policies that allow a greater share of that wealth to be invested in the Liberian people.

Liberia possesses enormous advantages that many successful countries do not. Our country has abundant natural resources, fertile agricultural land, plentiful rainfall, navigable rivers, a long Atlantic coastline, and a youthful population eager to work. These advantages should make Liberia one of Africa’s most prosperous nations. Yet too many Liberians continue to struggle with unemployment, inadequate healthcare, poor educational facilities, food insecurity, and insufficient infrastructure.

The solution does not lie in increasing government consumption or expanding the privileges of public officials. It lies in redirecting national priorities toward the people. Government exists to serve the people, not to be served by them. Public office is a public trust, not a pathway to personal comfort at public expense.

Liberia can achieve the same kind of progress that Botswana has achieved if our leaders embrace fiscal discipline, negotiate better agreements for the exploitation of our natural resources, strengthen transparency and accountability, reduce unnecessary government extravagance, and invest substantially more in education, healthcare, agriculture, infrastructure, and job creation.

A government’s true success should not be measured by the size of official motorcades, the luxury of government offices, or the benefits enjoyed by public officials. It should be measured by the quality of life of its citizens.

The responsibility for bringing about this change rests not only with those who govern but also with the people who elect them. Liberian voters should insist that every presidential, legislative, and local government candidate present a credible and measurable plan for transforming Liberia into a country that performs as well as Botswana—or even better—in education, healthcare, agriculture, infrastructure, job creation, and the responsible management of natural resources. Those who seek public office should explain how they will ensure that Liberia receives a fair return from its iron ore, gold, diamonds, rubber, oil palm, and other national resources, and how those revenues will improve the lives of ordinary Liberians.

Botswana has shown that sound leadership, prudent negotiation, responsible governance, and investment in people can transform a resource-rich country. Liberia has the natural resources and the human potential to achieve even greater success. The choice now belongs to the Liberian people. By voting for leaders with clear, practical, and accountable plans to make Liberia like Botswana—or better—Liberians can help build a nation where natural wealth benefits every citizen rather than a privileged few.

Government is a place to serve, not to steal. Governance is for the people, not the pockets.